I am a 34 yr old female. For the last few years I've had episodes of stomach pain that lasts a few days then goes away. When it first began, they ran all the most common tests, and found nothing. Rencently, though, the pain has gotten worse and and I have developed other symptoms. I have been on prescription prevacid now for nearly 3 weeks, with no relief at all. The pain is typically in my upper abdomen, right where the stomach is located. Now it seems that I have pain right where the opening is that connects to the stomach, after I have swollowed. I also have bloating and fullness after I eat, and sometimes it feels like I can feel the food going down and as if it's too much. The pain is also felt in my back..right in the middle, even feeling as if it's muscular..IT sometimes even radiates into my chest. I understand this could indeed be acid reflux, but the pain is constant.. not really letting up much at all. I had a lot of bad habits, including drinking a lot of soda and coffee and smoking. I cut out soda and coffee completely and cut smoking in half and no change, even with meds. I'm terrified that I have esophogeal cancer and that is what is causing the symptoms. Wouldn't three weeks of prevacid relieve some of these symptoms?? Off and on I am also getting gas and loose stools, which is uncommon. Unfortunately I cannot get into a gastro doctor for another month.. This is really affecting my life and getting very very depressing. I am afraid to eat anything, and it's affected my quality of life, being in so much pain. If anyone has any advice or similar stories, please let me know, anything to get me through the wait to see the specialist. thanks!

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1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:stomach issues please help!!??I am a 34 yr old female. For the last few years I've had episodes of stomach pain that lasts a few days then goes away. When it first began, they ran all the most common tests, and found nothing. Rencently, though, the pain has gotten worse and and I have developed other symptoms. I have been on prescription prevacid now for nearly 3 weeks, with no relief at all. The pain is typically in my upper abdomen, right where the stomach is located. Now it seems that I have pain right where the opening is that connects to the stomach, after I have swollowed. I also have bloating and fullness after I eat, and sometimes it feels like I can feel the food going down and as if it's too much. The pain is also felt in my back..right in the middle, even feeling as if it's muscular..IT sometimes even radiates into my chest. I understand this could indeed be acid reflux, but the pain is constant.. not really letting up much at all. I had a lot of bad habits, including drinking a lot of soda and coffee and smoking. I cut out soda and coffee completely and cut smoking in half and no change, even with meds. I'm terrified that I have esophogeal cancer and that is what is causing the symptoms. Wouldn't three weeks of prevacid relieve some of these symptoms?? Off and on I am also getting gas and loose stools, which is uncommon. Unfortunately I cannot get into a gastro doctor for another month.. This is really affecting my life and getting very very depressing. I am afraid to eat anything, and it's affected my quality of life, being in so much pain. If anyone has any advice or similar stories, please let me know, anything to get me through the wait to see the specialist. thanks!

Sounds similar to some of the symptoms I had. My pain started in the mid-back region and felt like I had a muscle pull - after several hot showers, ibuprofen, heating pads, the pain was constant and not relieved by anything. The pain radiated to the front chest area - basically as if I had a shotgun blast through my back to the front. For me, turned out to be pancreatitis likely caused by a gallbladder attached. Gallstones were confimed the next day by ultrasound. Shortly after my gallbladder attack, I had pain in my lower abdomen that creeped up the side and has settled under my left ribcage for several weeks. All of my tests have come back negative, so the docs still don't know what it is.

However, I started a gluten-free and lactose-free diet and the pain has slowed down drastically. It's almost gone. Prevacid will only help your acid reflux symptoms and wouldn't help with issues like pancreatitus. Your primary doc could do some basic bloodwork to check kidney, liver, pancreas. I'd suggest that you see your primary care doc to get some of those things eliminated prior to your endoscopy

That said, I know you're worried. I'm the worst at assuming the worst, so I'm in your shoes. Stress can actually create some of the symtoms you're having, so do your best to keep even until the docs do their magic. Good luck to you!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:stomach issues please help!!??Sounds similar to some of the symptoms I had. My pain started in the mid-back region and felt like I had a muscle pull - after several hot showers, ibuprofen, heating pads, the pain was constant and not relieved by anything. The pain radiated to the front chest area - basically as if I had a shotgun blast through my back to the front. For me, turned out to be pancreatitis likely caused by a gallbladder attached. Gallstones were confimed the next day by ultrasound. Shortly after my gallbladder attack, I had pain in my lower abdomen that creeped up the side and has settled under my left ribcage for several weeks. All of my tests have come back negative, so the docs still don't know what it is.

However, I started a gluten-free and lactose-free diet and the pain has slowed down drastically. It's almost gone. Prevacid will only help your acid reflux symptoms and wouldn't help with issues like pancreatitus. Your primary doc could do some basic bloodwork to check kidney, liver, pancreas. I'd suggest that you see your primary care doc to get some of those things eliminated prior to your endoscopy

That said, I know you're worried. I'm the worst at assuming the worst, so I'm in your shoes. Stress can actually create some of the symtoms you're having, so do your best to keep even until the docs do their magic. Good luck to you!

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